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why do we need to protect the amazon rainforest

An estimated 18 million acres (7. 3 million hectares) of forest Б roughly the size of Panama Б are lost each year, according to the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization. This is a tragedy for many reasons and something as Global Citizens we should take a stand against! Here are 7 reasons why we should be protecting our rainforests: 1. It is home to literally MILLIONS of different species. Did you know that 70% of Earth's land animals and plants live in rainforests? If rainforests disappear what would happen to them? Imagine if we just got rid of that wet stuff that covers 70% of the earth's surface - where would all the dolphins live? 2. There are potentially millions of animal and plant species that are yet to even be discovered! If deforestation continues at the current rate, not even a quarter of these will be discovered before they are killed off! б137 rainforest species are exterminated completely every single day. 3. Over a quarter of the medicines we use today have their origins in the rainforests Б and thatБs after only about 1% of rainforest plants have been examined for their medicinal properties!

Imagine what else could be there? ItБs not crazy to think that our best chance of curing the diseases, such as Malaria and HIV, that plague our world, could lie within the rainforest. 4. The rainforest helps to regulate the worlds water cycle. Trees play an important part in the water cycle, grounding the water in their roots and releasing it into the atmosphere. In the Amazon, more than half the water in the ecosystem is held within the plants. Without the plants, the climate may become dryer and growing food could become impossible for many. 5. Most of our foods come out of the Amazon like, bananas, pineapples, nuts, coffee beans and many more. If deforestation contiunes at the current rate of 46-58 thousand square miles of forest each yearБequivalent to 36 football fields every minute - then we could be in danger of cutting off a significant percentage of our food supply. 6.

Deforestation drives climate change. бRemoving trees deprives the forest of portions of its canopy, which blocks the sunБs rays during the day and holds in heat at night. This disruption leads to more extreme temperatures swings that can be harmful to plants and animals. Trees also play a critical role in absorbing the greenhouse gases that fuel global warming. Fewer forests means larger amounts of greenhouse gases entering the atmosphereБand increased speed and severity of global warming. 7. The biggest reason to save the rainforst is the effect deforestation hass on local economies. Increased flooding, lack of quality water, and inability to produce their own food causes many locals migrate to cities that lack the infrastructure for them. Or sadly, the only way they can make money is to work on plantations, worsening the deforestation problem and at times being subjected to inhumane dangerous working conditions. бThe importance of the Amazon rainforest for local and global climate Tropical forests and woodlands (e. g. savannas) exchange vast amounts of water and energy with the atmosphere and are thought to be important in controlling local and regional climates.

Water released by plants into the atmosphere through (evaporation and plant transpiration) and to the ocean by the rivers, influences world climate and the circulation of. This works as a feedback mechanism, as the process also sustains the regional climate on which it depends. The Amazon rainforest could cure you What is the connection between the blue-green pills in your bathroom cupboard and the Amazon wildlife? The natural roots of medicine. For millennia, humans have used insects, plants and other organisms in the region for a variety of uses; and that includes agriculture, clothing and, of course, cures for diseases. Indigenous people such as the Yanomamo and other groups of mixed ancestry (e. g. the mestizos of Peru or the caboclos of Brazil) have perfected the use of chemical compounds found in plants and animals. Knowledge of using these plants is usually held by a medicine man ( shaman ), who passes on this tradition to an apprentice, a process which has been ongoing for centuries and that forms an integral part of peopleБs identity.

With rainforests going fast, the continuity of this knowledge for the benefit of future generations is under threat. Untapped potential of the Amazon's plants Scientists believe that less than half of 1% of flowering plant species have been studied in detail for their medicinal potential. As the slowly shrinks in size, so does the richness of wildlife found in its forests, along with the potential use of plants and animals that remain undiscovered. Laurance, W. F. 1999. Gaia's lungs: Are rainforests inhaling Earth's excess carbon dioxide? (April), p. 96. Post et al, 1990, in Kricher 1997 Vourlitis, G. L. , 2002. Seasonal variations in the evapotranspiration of a transitional tropical forest of Mato Grosso, Brazil. , Vol. 38 Phillips et al, 1995, in Kricher 1997 Cox and Balick, 1994 in Kricher 1997